Effects of probiotic supplementation on growth performance, intestinal barrier function, and oxidative stress in broiler chickens fed a deoxynivalenol-contaminated diet

Authors: Kpodo, Kouassi; Tompkins, Yuguo; Miska, Katarzyna; Proszkowiec-Wegla, Monika; Postnikova, Olga; Olson, Drew; Mitchell, Trevor; Glenn, Anthony

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/22/2026
Publication Date: 1/22/2026
Citation: Kpodo, K.R., Tompkins, Y.H., Miska, K.B., Proszkowiec-Wegla, M.K., Postnikova, O.A., Olson, D.E., Mitchell, T.R., Glenn, A.E. 2026. Effects of probiotic supplementation on growth performance, intestinal barrier function, and oxidative stress in broiler chickens fed a deoxynivalenol-contaminated diet. Poultry Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2026.106501.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2026.106501

Interpretive Summary: Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by fungi and can contaminate most cereals and grains used in poultry feed. The most common of these mycotoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON), negatively affects the intestinal immune system, absorptive, and digestive functions, and growth performance of chickens consuming contaminated feed. In addition, these negative effects of DON predispose chickens to more bacterial infections and worsen the economic burden on producers. Therefore, it is important to find ways to reduce the negative effects of this mycotoxin, especially in the absence of antibiotic growth promoters. We studied two probiotics, a single-strain probiotic (Lactobacillus acidophilus) and a multi-strain probiotic (Lactobacillus acidophilus and Pediococcus acidilactici), in broiler chickens fed a diet contaminated with 5mg DON/kg of feed. The results show that 5mg DON/kg of feed did not negatively affect growth performance and nutrient absorption in the intestine although some negative impacts were observed on intestinal morphology and permeability and on the activity of plasma antioxidative enzyme catalase. The supplementation of the multi-strain probiotic reduced the negative impacts of DON only on plasma oxidative stress response. The results of this study are important for the poultry producers and suggest that 5mg/kg, which is the recommended level of DON in poultry feed, would not reduce growth parameters. In addition, the multi-strain probiotic could improve the intestinal immune and antioxidant responses in broiler chickens.

Technical Abstract: The mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) contaminates chicken feed and negatively impacts intestinal health and overall production performance. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of lactic acid bacteria on DON toxicity on production performance, intestinal morphology and absorptive function, and oxidative stress status in broiler chickens. A total of 432 day-old-308 chicks were assigned to treatments arranged as a 2 × 3 factorial with mycotoxin (0 mg, noM; 5 mg/kg, M) and probiotic [0 cfu/kg, noP; 1.0 x 109 cfu/kg Lactobacillus acidophilus (La); or 1.0 x 104 cfu/g FloraMax-PW (FM), made of La and Podiococcus acidilactici] and raised for 22 days. Body weight, average daily gain, average daily feed intake, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were not affected (P = 0.130) by mycotoxin or mycotoxin × probiotic interaction for any days. However, FCR was reduced in (P = 0.050) in FM compared to noP for days 8-15. Mycotoxin reduced villus height and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio (P = 0.029 and P = 0.027, respectively) in the jejunum. The level of zonula occludens2 mRNA in the jejunum was reduced (P = 0.040) in M+noP and M+La compared to noM+noP, noM+FM, noM+La, and M+FM chickens. Ileal occludin and zonula occludens2 mRNA expressions were increased (P < 0.001 and P = 0.011, respectively) by mycotoxin and claudin-1 expression was increased (P = 0.029) by FM. The immunoglobulin A mRNA expression was increased (P = 0.020) in FM compared to noP while that of polymeric immunoglobulin receptor was increased (P = 0.004) in FM and La in the ileum. Plasma catalase activity was reduced (P < 0.001) in M+noP compared to other treatments while that of glutathione reductase was increased (P = 0.036) by mycotoxins. Deoxynivalenol at 5mg/kg of feed did not affect production performance, but reduced intestinal morphology, which was not prevented by probiotics. The supplementation of FM improved the overall oxidative status in response to DON. In addition, FM improved intestinal mucosal immunity, regardless of DON.